From this season’s rarely-cited Flyers-may-actually-catch-a-break file: Rangers goaltender and known Flyers-tormenter Henrik Lundqvist will not play when New York visits Philadelphia for the struggling rivals’ first matchup of the season tonight at the Wells Fargo Center.
Lundqvist will sit out tonight’s contest with what the Rangers, who sit at 2-5 on the season and are just two points ahead the Eastern Conference-worst Flyers, are referring to as a “minor injury.”
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This should come as great news for the offensively-inept Flyers because Lundqvist has tortured them over the course of his nine-year career. In 42 career games against the Flyers, “King Henrik” has posted a 25-12-3 record, .914 save percentage, 2.52 goals-against average and four shutouts.
Not too shabby.
With the way the Flyers are struggling to produce much of anything on offense with just 11 goals through their first eight games of the young season, seeing an even-somewhat healthy Lundqvist would not have been a great proposition.
Replacing Lundqvist between the pipes for the Rangers will be 26-year-old rookie Cam Talbot.
Who?
Don’t worry, you’re not the only one to ask that question.
Talbot, who will be making his first-career NHL start and is of no relation to the Flyers’ Max, was recently called up from the Rangers’ AHL affiliate in Hartford after former Flyer and Ranger backup Marty Biron was placed on waivers and subsequently decided to retire. In five games this season with Hartford, Talbot went 4-0-1 with a .924 save percentage and a 2.49 goals-against average.
Also of very important note, Talbot rocks this totally-awesome Ghostbusters-inspired mask, which features Slimer and the Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man wreaking havoc throughout the streets of New York.
Seriously, that thing rules. It gets two thumbs up even if it’s worn by a Ranger.